World of Difference

World of Difference is Vodafone’s unique corporate giving initiative, which mobilises people to take time out and be paid to work for a charity of their choice. Managed by Vodafone Foundations, World of Difference currently operates in 19 countries around the world. There are over 2,100 winners to date with an active online community of over 250,000 fans across social media channels.

Australasia

Australia

In the 10 years since World of Difference launched in Australia, there have been 42 winners and over $3.1m of funding to take paid charity leave.
The 2013 campaign gave four Australians the opportunity to work for their charity fully funded and supported for a year. The winners will be making a world of difference to their four respective charities which help missing persons, refugee communities, women coming out of prison and people in need of goods due to disadvantage or natural disasters.

Fiji

World of Difference first launched in Fiji in 2010 and has had 69 winners to date. 2011 and 2012 campaigns had 24 and 9 candidates respectively. The programme has engaged over 60 charity partners and each candidate has touched on average 25 communities in Fiji.

New Zealand

New Zealand was the first market to launch World of Difference back in 2002. Over the 11 years it has been running, there have been 90 winners. Applications are submitted in July and August, with six winners to be announced in November 2013 to work with any youth related charity for twelve months.

India

World of Difference in India first launched in November 2011 as an internal employee engagement programme. In early 2012, 20 employees were selected after a rigorous selections process to work with 19 charities in India as a secondment for a period of 6 weeks. In early 2013, 25 employees donated their time to 25 diverse NGOs for 8 weeks while other Vodafone India employees fundraised for 25 different social causes, successfully raising over 7 million rupees. The applications for the 2014 programme are due to launch in October 2013.

Africa

Egypt

World of Difference first launched in Egypt in 2010 but is not currently operating in 2013.

Ghana

World of Difference in Ghana first launched in 2010 and has had 105 winners to date. The 2012 programme was launched in July, winners were announced in September and they started their placements in the same month. There were a total of 50 participants for the 2012 programme. The 2013 programme launches in September 2013.

Kenya

World of Difference was first launched in Kenya in 2009 and there have been 74 winners to date. In July 2013, Safaricom Foundation was pleased to announce its 25 latest winners. This group comprises of seven members of the public, six individual Safaricom staff and three teams of Safaricom staff who will all be working on NGO projects.

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South Africa

World of Difference, known as ‘Change the World’ in South Africa launched in October 2010. To date, there have been 20 winners completing their 12 month placements: 10 in 2011 and another 10 winners completing their projects in 2012. Many of the past winners are still involved with their selected organisations. The programme has been expanded to include 20 winners for the 2013 intake and these champions of change started their projects on 1 May 2013.

Europe

Italy

World of Difference in Italy first launched in 2008 and has had 154 winners to date. The 2012 programme launched in February and 2014 plans are to be confirmed.

Netherlands

World of Difference in the Netherlands first launched in 2004 and has had 32 winners to date. The 2013 programme opens in August, with winners selected in November to start their projects for 12 months in February 2014.

United Kingdom

World of Difference launched in the UK in 2008 and ran for 5 years. Initially the programme offered 6 lucky winners the chance to work for a UK registered charity overseas for 12 months. In 2009 World of Difference UK was expanded and alongside the international programme, 500 winners were offered the opportunity to work for their charity of choice within the UK for two month(or 4 months part time). The programme came to a close in 2013 having supported 2022 winners who donated their time to over 1500 different UK registered charities.

Greece

World of Difference in Greece first launched in 2010 and there have been 14 winners to date. The 2013 programme is launching in September 2013 with ten places to work for a charity partner for six months.

Germany

World of Difference in Germany was first launched in 2008, with 48 winners to date. The programme offers ten places to work on a specific charity project for three to six months and five places to work with a charity for twelve months. Applications for the 2013 programme are open between June and 18 August.

Portugal

World of Difference in Portugal first launched in July 2011 and there have been 14 winners to date. Winners for the 3 placements in 2013 will be announced in September, with positions as physiotherapists, nurses and socio-cultural animation specialists at three NGOs on offer.

Spain

World of Difference in Spain first launched in 2008 with 49 winners to date. In 2013, the eighth edition of the programme, is offering one year placements up to June 2014 for eight new winners.

Albania

World of Difference in Albania launched back in 2008 and there have been 31 winners to date. The 2013 World of Difference winners were announced in July 2013, each being awarded a 12 month placement.

Czech Republic

World of Difference in the Czech Republic first launched in 2008, with 69 winners to date, 40 of which having worked for 1-3 months and 29 working for one year. Applications to work for a charity of choice for a year are made between July to September and winners announced in October to commence in January 2014. Dates for the submission of applications for shorter, 3 month placements, are open three times a year.

Hungary

World of Difference in Hungary first launched in 2008 and has had 24 full time 'Angels', as they are called in Hungary. Applications annually open in May, with winners being announced in July to start work in September. The next round of Angels will start their year on 2 September 2013. Applications and selections are only accepted via Facebook

Ireland

World of Difference in Ireland first launched in 2007 and has had 55 winners to date. The 2013 programme is linked with Ireland’s strategy of helping young people in Ireland and is running between August and September. Four individuals will be chosen to ‘answer their true calling’ and will start on their year long placement supporting young people from October 2013.

Romania

World of Difference, known as ‘Voluntar de Profesie’ in Romania, is now in its fourth year and there have been 48 winners to date. The 2013 programme which closed for applications in July, offers 18 winners a six month opportunity to work at a local NGO. Between September 2013 and March 2014, the winners will offer their time and experience to support socially disadvantaged groups and other beneficiaries of non-profit organizations in Romania.

>Australasia

>Europe

>North America

>Africa

>Australia

>Fiji

>New Zealand

>India

>United Kingdom

>Germany

>Greece

>Spain

>Albania

>Czech Republic

>Hungary

>Ireland

>Portugal

>Romania

>Italy

>Netherlands

>United States

>Egypt

>Ghana

>Qatar

>South Africa

>Kenya

What is World of Difference?

World of Difference is Vodafone’s unique corporate giving initiative which mobilises people to take time out and work for a charity of their choice. The programme is designed to take corporate giving beyond the traditional “cheque book charity” space and to tap into the energy, skills and difference which people can make and utilise mobile to make it happen.

Designed to appeal to those who wish to take a paid career break and use their skills and experience in the third sector, the programme is also popular with social entrepreneurs, supporting many in developing organisations whose primary focus is to deliver social change.

Managed by Vodafone Foundations, World of Difference currently operates in 19 countries around the world with over 3025 individual winners to date. An on line movement of 250,000 fans are following the programme via social media channels, mobilising and supporting the winners in their efforts to make a difference and deliver social change.

The Grahame Maher Award

On 2 November 2010, Grahame Maher, CEO of Vodafone Qatar and the man who spearheaded the launch of the Vodafone World of Difference programme eleven years ago, passed away.

The Grahame Maher Awards were a tribute to a truly inspirational man who was committed to making the world a better place. He changed the lives of everyone he met and these awards offered people the chance to do the same.

The awards were open to all previous World of Difference winners, offering them the opportunity to receive additional funding to further expand and develop their charitable programmes.